Fassi Named To WGCA POY Watch List

May 14, 2019

WOMEN’S GOLF COACHES ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES DIVISION I WATCH LIST FOR PLAYER AND FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

CORAL SPRINGS, Florida (May 14, 2019) – The WGCA has announced its watch list for the 2018-19 PING WGCA Division I Player of the Year and 2018-19 Division I Freshman of the Year. Both awards will be announced after medal play at the upcoming NCAA Championship.

The PING WGCA Player of the Year Award is awarded annually to the best player in Division I women’s golf. The top 60 players from the Golfstat and Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings are considered. Each player must complete a minimum of 15 rounds during the competitive year including NCAA Regional Championships.

Player of the Year Watch List
•Jaravee Boonchant, SO, Duke University. Averaging 71.48 and has placed in the top-10 in 6 tournaments, including a tie for third at the NCAA Auburn Regional.
•Jennifer Chang, SO, University of Southern California. Scoring average of 71.24. She has eight top-10 finishes, including a win at the NCAA Cle Elum Regional.•Maria Fassi, SR, University of Arkansas. Scoring average of 71.18. Has four top-five finishes, including a win at the SEC Championship. She finished runner-up at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
•Frida Kinhult, FR, Florida State University. Leads Division I with a 70.48 scoring average. She has five top-five finishes, including wins at the Jim West Challenge and Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.
•Jennifer Kupcho, SR, Wake Forest University. Averaging 70.87 and has four top-10 finishes, including two wins. Won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
•Andrea Lee, JR, Stanford University. Averaging 71.41 and has five top-five finishes, including two wins. She won the Northrop Grumann Regional Challenge and tied for first at the Ping-ASU Invitational.
•Olivia Mehaffey, JR, Arizona State University. Has a 71.68 scoring average. She placed first at the Bruin Wave and the Pac-12 Championship and tied for first place at the NCAA Norman Regional.
•Emilia Migliaccio, SO, Wake Forest University. Scoring average of 70.76 and has five top-three finishes. She won the Tar Heel Invitational, Bryan National Collegiate and the ACC Championship.
•Patty Tavatanakit, SO, UCLA. Has a 71.28 scoring average and five top-five finishes, including wins at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate and NCAA East Lansing Regional. Tavatanakit won the 2018-19 WGCA Freshman of the Year Award.
•Albane Valenzuela, JR, Stanford University. Averaging 71.73 and has three top-three finishes, including a runner-up finish at the Pac-12 Championship.

The WGCA Freshman of the Year Award is awarded annually to the top Freshman in Division I, II and III women’s golf. Freshman must have competed in a minimum of 15 competitive rounds to be considered.

Freshman of the Year Watch List
•Hailee Cooper, FR, University of Texas. Averaging 71.96. Won the Betsy Rawls Invitational and tied for first at the Bruzzy Challenge.
•Auston Kim, FR, Vanderbilt University. Scoring average of 71.84. Has seven top-10 finishes, including a win at the NCAA Auburn Regional.
•Frida Kinhult, FR, Florida State University. Leads Division I with a 70.48 scoring average. She has five top-five finishes, including wins at the Jim West Challenge and Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.
•Malia Nam, FR, University of Southern California. Averaging 71.90 and has three top-three finishes, including a runner-up finish at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate.
•Natasha Andrea Oon, FR, San Jose State University. Averaging 71.89 and has six top-five finishes, including two wins and a runner-up finish at the Mountain West Championship.
•Aneka Seumanutafa, FR, Ohio State University. Scoring average of 71.69. She has five top-10 finishes, including a win at the Westbrook Spring Invitational.

About the Women’s Golf Coaches Association
The Women’s Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women’s collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 600 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.